Sad news! Leiji Matsumoto - famous sci-fi manga author behind Space Battleship Yamato, Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999 passes away at 85!

TOKYO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Leiji Matsumoto, the Japanese manga and anime author known internationally as a creator of the 1970s TV series "Space Battleship Yamato", has died aged 85, his office said on Monday.

Matsumoto gained global fame as director of the series, which was titled "Star Blazers" in the United States.

Other well-known works include the manga series "Galaxy Express 999", which was also turned into a popular anime series.


He is the recipient of several awards from the Japanese government, as well as the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French government.

Matsumoto, who started drawing at the age of six, died of heart failure on Feb. 13 in Tokyo, Japanese media reported.

Man, I'm feeling old. Not sure if many people here know of him, but he was huge in the manga/sci-fi circle.

Space Battleship Yamato is one of the most popular and influential sci-fi works, and western Star Trek rips off some of the battle spaces envisioned by him.

The opening song was legendary!